Origin of Heavy Metals in Total Suspended Particle and Their Influence on Soil Environmental Quality in an Industrial Area of South China

Abstract

Determination of heavy metals in atmospheric total suspended particulate matter(TSP) can provide the theoretical basis for the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and environmental remediation work.The environmental effects of heavy metals in atmospheric TSP and surface soil(0-20 cm) were studied in an industrial city of southern China.TSP samples were collected by atmospheric active sampling technique.The content of heavy metals in TSP was determined by Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry.The characteristics and sources of heavy metals were analyzed by enrichment factor and Pearson coefficient method.The results show that the highest content of Zn, Pb and Cd in the study area is 30809.06×10-6, 9902.91×10-6, and 1011.21×10-6, respectively, which are 201.43, 222.53, 5616.20 times higher than the soil background values in China, and thus the pollution is serious.Cr and Ni contents were 1.83 and 2.96 times higher than the soil background values in China.Zn, Pb, Cd, Hg, As are enriched mainly from smelting, thermal power, and chemical plants as well as other artificial sources.The content of heavy metals in the soil of the study area shows a significantly positive correlation with the content of heavy metals in TSP, and thus the main source of heavy metals in the soil originates from atmospheric deposition.

Keywords

• industrial area
• total suspend particle
• heavy metals
• enrichment factor
• soil quality